Envelope



Dec. 22, 1931. w. F. HAMMEL ENVELOPE Filed July 16, 1919 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 Nil l hi STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ESTHER S. HAMIMEL, OF

ILLINOIS ENVELOPE Application filed. July 16,

My present invention relates in general to envelopes, and more particularly ,tov envelopes of the type known as penny-savers wherein there is a portionwhich may be opened by the postal authorities for the inspection of the contents thereof, or for the removal of such contents for such inspection, and has special reference to improvements in eni'elopes of the character referred to in which the so-called loose portion or flap is normally engaged and held from opening out by another portion of the structure or by the relative disposition of theparts.

The principal objects of'my present invention are the provision in an envelope of the type referred to of improved means whereby the loose flap is normally retained in predetermined closed position by means of the back of the envelope-more particularly means carried by the back of the envelope; the provision of a cooperative hook and pocket formed on said flap and back respectively in aid of such purpose; the provision of an envelope of the class referred to charact rized by the attachment to the inner surface of the back of the structure of a pocket arranged for engagement by the loose flap folded reflexively from the edge portion of the envelope whereby the finished structure is greatly strengthened, and danger of accidental disen- 'agement of the loose flap from such back largely prevented, together with such other objects as may be hereinafter disclosed.

In gaining the foregoing objects and certain additional benefits and advantages,,

which will herein below appear, I have provided a structure, certain embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is'a diagrammatic view of blank from which is made an envelope embodying one form of my present invention, the creases formed in folding the blank in the course of the manufacture of he article being indicated by dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a. similar view exhibiting one of the steps of manufacture, including the folding of the flaps, but showing a modified form of structure;

Figures 3 and i are similar views showing facture and 1919. Serial No. 311,280.

the consecutive steps of folding in such manu- Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a back view of the completed article, and a sectional view thereof with an inclosure therein.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the envelope herein illustrated is distinctly of the high-back type, and comprises the customary portions, viz.: a front, A, a back, B, side or end flaps, 6-D, and a top 11 sealing flap, E. V

I In carrying out my invention I have provided on the back, B, a supplemental portion, F, which I will term the auxiliary strip and where desirable I employ in connection therewith one or more portions G, Gr, which, when the envelope is in practical use, act in effect as elongated slotted apertures adapted for-the reception of upward projections H, H, preferably hook shaped, formed on the flaps, C, D. I

In the manufacture of the envelope, folds are consecutively made on the lines j, 70 and m in the customary manner, such steps being illustrated inFigures 2 and 3 respectively, whereupon the projections, H, H are embraced between the back, B, and auxiliary strip F adjacent the openings G, G (see Figure 3), since the strip F being spotted by adhesive as indicated at, p, 39 becomes attached to the back, such strip F having been first placed in position as indicated in Figures 1 and. 2, thus producing the arrangements shown in Figures 3 and 4.

On examination of Figure 4: it will be apparent that the end fiaps C, D are substan tially covered by the back B, andthat the loose end flaps are embraced closely between it and the auxiliary strip F which holds them securely in position. As it is of importance that the flaps C and D be left unconnected together, they are preferably of less total length than the length of the back B.

The sealing flap E is shown as provided with the customary adhesive portion, which may be provided thereon throughout the usual full portion of'its length as indicated by the stippling z andsealed down against the back B, without danger of unintentionally securing the end flaps 6, 1), against opening, in View of the extreme width of the back B and the manner in which it covers the end flaps O, D.

Ordinarily, I prefer to omit the projection H on one of the flaps, such as the flap D, and

the adhesive :0 may be applied indifi'erently to the flap C or to the flap D, or to an opposite portion of the back, and that aside from the penny-saver features of my improved envelope which afford a maximum of strength, the most desirable appearance, and the minimum of difficulties in manufacture,

articles may be inserted into such envelope with the greatest of facility and despatch and with a minimum of loss of time either from accidental derangement of the folds or from catching or other interference by such folds or with such insertions or inclosures.

I have heretofore proposed to form. an

envelope having a front portion A provided with a-flap E and a back portion B provided with a flap F, and likewise C and D, such flap F being formed integrally with the back 13 and provided with slots adapted to receive hooks on the flaps C and D, as shown in Letters Patent No. 1,230,154 of June 19, 1917, and consequently the structure referred to is not intended to be included within the scope of my claim. 7

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the facts that by utilizing an auxiliary strip F and fastening it securely against the back B, as bymeans of gum or other ad-- hesive spotted indifferently at the places indicated by p and p on the stripv F, or at corresponding places on the back B, a number of marked advantages are attained. Some of these are techn cal, and others are commercial.

Among the technical or structural advantages are these, that owing to the fact that the strip F is fixedly held in position it is not only much more readily produced in quantity by machinery, but the resultant structure is stronger and also more compact; that it being rendered possible to use quite a large hook H, there is less likelihood of accidental disengagement of the hook H from'the aperture G or the pocket therebelow formed by the gum-spots p, 79, either in service or in inserting the contents into the envelope; that such a large hook is of advantage too'in that it has proportionately danger of choking greater strength and is less apt to bend, break or tear, and thus to become misplaced, inefi'icient or impotent in service; and that the lower margin of the strip F being held down and against the back B any chance of dislocation of the strip by the contents inserted into the envelope is removed.

Among the commercial advantages are the following: that the present form of envelope may be made on high-speed envelope making machines having a capacity greater by from to than that of machines for making envelopes wherein the hook has to be inserted into a slot formed marginally along the line of fold to the back B; that there is a material saving in paper stock since a smaller size of paper sheet can be used, or, in the case of larger sheets a greater number of envelope blanks can be cut from the sheet; that the marginal slot-punching operation is saved; that the cutting dies are simplified and that thereof incident to punching small slots is obviated; that there is a decreased envelope wastage owing to Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

An envelope having a front and a back portion, the back including two end fiaps lying against the front between the latter and said back portion, one of said flaps being sealed and the other loose and having a hookdike portion projecting into the envelope adjacent to the open mouth thereof adapted to lie between the front and back adjacent to one corner of the envelope so as not to interfere with the insertion of the contents of the envelope or materially increase the thickness thereof adjaccnt to the lock, and an auxiliary member secured to the back adjacent to said hook-like portion and having an anchor to receive said hooklike portion in the closed position of the loose end flap, thereby leaving the mouth portion unobstructed throughout its entire dimension.

WALTER F. HAMMET 1,

where it is connected 

